Coyotes name Slaney assistant coach

Arizona Coyotes General Manager Don Maloney announced today that the Coyotes have agreed to a multi-year contract with John Slaney to serve as an assistant coach. As per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“We are pleased to add John to our coaching staff,” said Maloney. “John has done a good job developing our young prospects in the American Hockey League and he will continue to do similar work here in Arizona.”

Slaney will enter his fifth season with the Coyotes organization in 2015-16. He spent the previous four seasons as an assistant coach with the Portland Pirates. The 43-year-old native of St. John’s, Newfoundland joined the organization in 2011-12 after finishing his playing career with Plzen HC (Czech) following the 2010-11 season.

Leaving his mark as one of the best defensemen in AHL history, Slaney joined the Pirates coaching staff with a wealth of accolades. He was a two-time recipient of the Eddie Shore Award (given annually to the AHL’s top defenseman) with the Philadelphia Phantoms in the 2000-01 and 2001-02 seasons, and also won a Calder Cup championship with the Phantoms in 2005.

Slaney became the AHL’s all-time leading scorer as a defenseman in 2005-06 until his mark (519 career points) was surpassed by Oklahoma City’s Bryan Helmer. He also posted 14-13-27 in 29 games with Portland during its 1993-94 Calder Cup championship season.